U.S. life expectancy falls for second straight year as drug overdose and Covid deaths take toll
Life expectancy for Americans fell for the second straight year in 2021, largely driven by increases in deaths from Covid-19 and drug overdoses, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A baby born in the U.S. in 2021 has a life expectancy of 76.4 years, down from 77 years in 2020 and the lowest level the CDC has recorded since 1996. The age-adjusted death rate for Covid rose by 22.5% between 2020 and 2021, while death rates from unintentional injuries — one-third of which come from overdoses — rose by 12.3%.
